Women and the Body

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

The socio-cultural construction of the female body and the issue of "anatomy as destiny" through an examination of biological and sociological literature on this topic. We will address women's self-esteem and the factors that serve to enhance or detract from women feeling good about their physical bodies. We will also focus on differences across gendered bodies by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, health, and sexuality and discuss issues of power and authority over women's bodies.